New Wortley

The New Wortley project took place in May 2021, a year later than intended, due to continued lockdowns in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Unlike our projects from earlier in the year, this was the first one we’d been able to run safely in person.

Our initial intentions were to capture life in and around social housing through working with local residents. However, it soon became clear that many people in the community were disproportionately affected by isolation and lack of access to outside spaces, so the conversation often turned to the residents’ experiences of the pandemic.

Their photographs, words, and images focused on the way the community had worked together to help each other, overcome difficulties, and survive through a time of national crisis. They spoke about old and new friends and their hopes for better communities in the future.

Last year we had the road map.  Now we have the traffic lights. This is how it’s going to work, stop, start going from one tier to another. Last year felt like we were constantly going round in circles. For some people it was really terrible. Maybe we can recycle the rubbish from last year into something positive.

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

WEEK 6

This project was supported by funding from Leeds Inspired part of Leeds City Council and Leeds Inner West HAP funding.